]]>By: Bongaihttp://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2007/04/13/last-minute-tax-tips/comment-page-1/#comment-83759
BongaiSat, 14 Apr 2007 14:47:04 +0000http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2007/04/13/last-minute-tax-tips/#comment-83759Jan Dillaha,
I agree completely. When I just had a W2 and a 1040-ez to worry about I would always do my taxes myself. Now, with a house, rental property, marriage, LLC with three DBAs, IRA deductions, plus W2 and K1 from the "day job", it's a lot of work. I could do it all myself, but my time is wasted doing our taxes myself. I'll gladly pay a CPA to do it so I can spend my time doing the stuff I know how to do well. I'm beyond using a tax prep service I think. My CPA does work for us during the year anyways and is familiar with what we've done and what our goals are so it just makes sense for him to do our taxes as well.Jan Dillaha,

I agree completely. When I just had a W2 and a 1040-ez to worry about I would always do my taxes myself. Now, with a house, rental property, marriage, LLC with three DBAs, IRA deductions, plus W2 and K1 from the “day job”, it’s a lot of work. I could do it all myself, but my time is wasted doing our taxes myself. I’ll gladly pay a CPA to do it so I can spend my time doing the stuff I know how to do well. I’m beyond using a tax prep service I think. My CPA does work for us during the year anyways and is familiar with what we’ve done and what our goals are so it just makes sense for him to do our taxes as well.

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]]>By: Jan Dillahahttp://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2007/04/13/last-minute-tax-tips/comment-page-1/#comment-83752
Jan DillahaSat, 14 Apr 2007 12:00:20 +0000http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2007/04/13/last-minute-tax-tips/#comment-83752Bongai....As a CPA who works in the industry, I know that it is a value consideration. Some of us (the good ones) look for ways to improve your financial life beyond just putting your numbers in the right boxes on the forms.
We look for things other tax prep people don't. This year we found a client who was being over charged for real estate taxes more than $1000 per year. We saw the another client overcharged for homeowners insurance by about $800 per year. In addition to those things we work with clients to get the other tasks done that most people procrastinate about like wills, durable power of attorney designations, advanced medical directives.
As a value proposition paying someone to just do the taxes isn't a great deal, we think that offering the other services while we work with you to do the taxes makes all the difference.Bongai….As a CPA who works in the industry, I know that it is a value consideration. Some of us (the good ones) look for ways to improve your financial life beyond just putting your numbers in the right boxes on the forms.

We look for things other tax prep people don’t. This year we found a client who was being over charged for real estate taxes more than $1000 per year. We saw the another client overcharged for homeowners insurance by about $800 per year. In addition to those things we work with clients to get the other tasks done that most people procrastinate about like wills, durable power of attorney designations, advanced medical directives.

As a value proposition paying someone to just do the taxes isn’t a great deal, we think that offering the other services while we work with you to do the taxes makes all the difference.

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]]>By: anonymous..http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2007/04/13/last-minute-tax-tips/comment-page-1/#comment-83719
anonymous..Fri, 13 Apr 2007 20:53:46 +0000http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2007/04/13/last-minute-tax-tips/#comment-83719i've used turbo tax for the past 3 years since my taxes aren't too complicated.. i try to do it as quickly as possible too (early march at the latest)
best part about e-filing is that you get your refund through direct deposit after a week or two at the mosti’ve used turbo tax for the past 3 years since my taxes aren’t too complicated.. i try to do it as quickly as possible too (early march at the latest)

best part about e-filing is that you get your refund through direct deposit after a week or two at the most

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]]>By: Donhttp://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2007/04/13/last-minute-tax-tips/comment-page-1/#comment-83710
DonFri, 13 Apr 2007 18:35:37 +0000http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2007/04/13/last-minute-tax-tips/#comment-83710I'll one up Matt's comment on TurboTax - this will be the first year in almost ten that I don't use it. Why? Because Intuit's predatory pricing has finally pushed me over the edge. Since I have an S Corp I have to file for as well, to use their product I would need to buy a separate application for that (their highfalutin personal one will do sole props but not S corp), pay for the state filing AND the main app. And that doesn't include any online filing.
A few minutes in Staples and I found that Tax Cut, the competing product, has a version for $80 that includes their business product, their personal product for state and federal, AND one free online filing for federal and one free online filing for state.I’ll one up Matt’s comment on TurboTax – this will be the first year in almost ten that I don’t use it. Why? Because Intuit’s predatory pricing has finally pushed me over the edge. Since I have an S Corp I have to file for as well, to use their product I would need to buy a separate application for that (their highfalutin personal one will do sole props but not S corp), pay for the state filing AND the main app. And that doesn’t include any online filing.

A few minutes in Staples and I found that Tax Cut, the competing product, has a version for $80 that includes their business product, their personal product for state and federal, AND one free online filing for federal and one free online filing for state.

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]]>By: Timhttp://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2007/04/13/last-minute-tax-tips/comment-page-1/#comment-83704
TimFri, 13 Apr 2007 17:19:44 +0000http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2007/04/13/last-minute-tax-tips/#comment-83704Bongai's comment (#6) is a good one, I'm actually wondering that right now. I did my taxes myself by hand (for once) and I'm tempted to have someone redo it for me, just to check what I did...
I guess not, but are there any places where you can actually have the accountant run the numbers and then you can decide to go with him if he finds a bigger return than you?
Like, you go there and say "I found that, can you beat it and are you ready to bet your time?"
Also, does anyone know where you can find kind of average amounts for "reasonable" expenses and deductions? In my case, it's for the moving expenses. I don't have the receipts, so I'd like to make sure my estimated total is not out of bound to not raise any alarms.Bongai’s comment (#6) is a good one, I’m actually wondering that right now. I did my taxes myself by hand (for once) and I’m tempted to have someone redo it for me, just to check what I did…
I guess not, but are there any places where you can actually have the accountant run the numbers and then you can decide to go with him if he finds a bigger return than you?
Like, you go there and say “I found that, can you beat it and are you ready to bet your time?”

Also, does anyone know where you can find kind of average amounts for “reasonable” expenses and deductions? In my case, it’s for the moving expenses. I don’t have the receipts, so I’d like to make sure my estimated total is not out of bound to not raise any alarms.

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]]>By: Matthttp://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2007/04/13/last-minute-tax-tips/comment-page-1/#comment-83703
MattFri, 13 Apr 2007 17:16:40 +0000http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2007/04/13/last-minute-tax-tips/#comment-83703Oh, just to clarify what JD mentioned about me -- whatever you do, don't waste money on an installable verison of TurboTax. It only works for one single year and it'll run you $50-60 or so.
Instead, just use TurboTax.com. There's no software to install and it's always up to date. In most cases, it's much cheaper than whatever CD-ROM version is being sold.Oh, just to clarify what JD mentioned about me — whatever you do, don’t waste money on an installable verison of TurboTax. It only works for one single year and it’ll run you $50-60 or so.

Instead, just use TurboTax.com. There’s no software to install and it’s always up to date. In most cases, it’s much cheaper than whatever CD-ROM version is being sold.

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]]>By: MoneyChangesThingshttp://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2007/04/13/last-minute-tax-tips/comment-page-1/#comment-83695
MoneyChangesThingsFri, 13 Apr 2007 15:14:00 +0000http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2007/04/13/last-minute-tax-tips/#comment-83695There is a very cool site http://www.refundsforgood.org/
that explains how to apply for the IRS phone rebate, and suggests how to donate it. For folks who would like to contribute to good causes but haven't been able to budget for it, sharing a windfall like this is a nice option. Unfortunately you can't donate it directly. But it does call attention to the whole issue.There is a very cool site http://www.refundsforgood.org/
that explains how to apply for the IRS phone rebate, and suggests how to donate it. For folks who would like to contribute to good causes but haven’t been able to budget for it, sharing a windfall like this is a nice option. Unfortunately you can’t donate it directly. But it does call attention to the whole issue.

]]>By: dbhttp://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2007/04/13/last-minute-tax-tips/comment-page-1/#comment-83690
dbFri, 13 Apr 2007 14:21:09 +0000http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2007/04/13/last-minute-tax-tips/#comment-83690I've always waited until the last minute to start my taxes -- literally the day before they were due I'd be running around thinking "now what forms do I need to find at the library?" This is after telling myself for weeks "gotta do the taxes. gotta do the taxes" just to keep myself in a heightened state of anxiety lest I should let the deadline slip by.
Until this year. I leisurely compiled my return one slow weekend in early February and mailed it in. My check to the IRS cleared right away, my state mailed me the refund and I put it towards debt.
And it's been an amazingly relaxing March and April.
db
www.debtblitzkrieg.comI’ve always waited until the last minute to start my taxes — literally the day before they were due I’d be running around thinking “now what forms do I need to find at the library?” This is after telling myself for weeks “gotta do the taxes. gotta do the taxes” just to keep myself in a heightened state of anxiety lest I should let the deadline slip by.

Until this year. I leisurely compiled my return one slow weekend in early February and mailed it in. My check to the IRS cleared right away, my state mailed me the refund and I put it towards debt.

]]>By: Caphttp://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2007/04/13/last-minute-tax-tips/comment-page-1/#comment-83683
CapFri, 13 Apr 2007 12:32:37 +0000http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2007/04/13/last-minute-tax-tips/#comment-83683Off topic, but seeing as how it ends on the same day: Don't forget to maximize your 2006 contribution to your IRAs if possible ($4,000). There's still time!
Other than that, I'll see everyone at the postal office Monday night. heh.Off topic, but seeing as how it ends on the same day: Don’t forget to maximize your 2006 contribution to your IRAs if possible ($4,000). There’s still time!

Other than that, I’ll see everyone at the postal office Monday night. heh.